Floating deck



'May 1 924.

- 1,493,091 J. WIGGINS. I

FLOATING DECK Filed March 54 1922 4 Sheets$heet 1 aim/E GU01 n e 11 ,J. H. WIGGINS May 6 1924.

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J. H. WIGGINS FLOATING DECK May 6 1924.

-"iled March 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lll llllllylllll Italy/[I'll]! "vi il/ll,

a110 mq Patented May 6, 1924.

PAT

JOHN HENRY WIGGINS, OF BARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA.

FLOATING DECK.

Application filed March 8, 1922. Serial No. 540,847.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HENRY WIG- GINS, a citizen of the United States. residing at Bartlesville, in the county of Washington and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floating Decks, of which the following is-a specification.

This invention relates to liquid storage tanks of the type that comprise a movable top or deck which floats upon and is supported by the liquid in the tank.

One object of my invention is to provide a practicable and inexpensive floating deck for liquid storage tanks that can be made in large sizes and which will effectively protect the contents of the tank from fire and from exposure to the atmosphere, thereby "reducing the fire hazard and evaporation losses to a minimum.

-Another object is to provide an inexpensive, vlight-weight floating deck for liquid storage tanks that has perfect stability.

Another object is to provide a practicable means for sup-portin a tank deck during the operation of erecting the tank and when the tank is empty, that can be easily removed when it is desired to float the deck on the body of liquid in the tank; 4

Another object is to'provide a liquid stor age tank that is equipped with a highly ef ficient means for permitting the escape of air and-any gases that collect on the underside of the deck and for insuring the remov'al of rain water that collects on the top side of the deck. Other objects and desirable features of my invention Wlll be I hereinafter pointed out.

To this end I have devised a liquid storage tank that consists of a vertically-disposed shell of cylindrical shape which formsthe side Wall of the tank, and a floating deck adapted to be supported by the liquidin the tank and comprising a solid central portion or body portion and a variable peripheral portion that serves as a closure for the annular space between the side wall of the tank and the central body portion of the deck. said peripheral portion being constructedin such a manner that it is capable of expanding and contracting sufficiently to compensate for variations in the relative position and dimension of the deck and side wall, due to expansion and 'ing unequal loads on same contraction of the metal plates from which said parts are formed. Preferably, the body portion ofthe deck is composed of horizontally-disposed, thin metal plates connected together in such a way as to form one lar e limber sheet that floats upon the body ov liquid in the tank and whose erip-heral edge is spaced away from the side Wall of the tank, the purpose of constructing the body portion of the deck in this manner being to make it. as light as possible and also reduce the cost of same. portion is reinforced and strengthened at it's periphery by a rigid rim,or any other suitable means, ,andthe variable periph eral portion of the deck is formed referably from a plurality of horizontally-dis- Said body posed members arranged 1n overlapping relation and in such a way that they can move relatively to each other so as to increase or decrease the diameter of said peripheral portion. In the form of my invention herein out the area of the body portion or central portion of thedeck to provide for the escape of air and any gases that collect on the underside. of the deck and dram openings and cooperating drain pipes are arranged at numerous points throughout the area of said body portion, so as to provide for the escape of rain water that falls on the top side of the deck. In view of the fact that the body portion of the deck is limber, it is advisable to provide means for counteractwhich hai e a deck. Various tendency. to capsize the but 1 means can be used for this purpose,

prefer to construct the drain pipes that are used for conducting water off of the top side of the deck in such a way that sai A drain pipes act as a truss'that maintains the deck in a substantially horizontal plane at all times. The means previously referred to that is used for temporarily sustaining the deck during the operation of erecting the tank and when the tank is empty can be formed in various ways without departing m I mas er from the spirit'of my invention, but in the form of my invention herein illustrated said sustaining means is composed of verticallyadjustable members carried by the deck and adapted to be. moved downwardly into engagement with the bottom ofthe tank and then secured to said deck in such a way that the sustain the deck and hold it in parallel relationship with the bottom of the tank. Figure 1 of the drawings is a top plan view of a storage'tank constructed in accordance with my invention that 15 adapted to be use-d for storing oil. I

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the jointed portion of the .drain pipe.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken on the line H of Figure 1 Figure 5 is a detail vertical sectional view,

taken on the line 55 of Figure 9, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 is a detail vertical sectional View, illustrating the construction of one of the supports that is used for temporarily sustaining the deck of the tank during the op eration of constructing the tank or when the tank is empty.

Figure 7 is another detail sectional view of said support.

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse sectional View, taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1,.

showing the deck supported by or resting upon the body of-liqnid in the tank; and V Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 4, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings which illus trate one form of my invention, 1 designates a vertically-disposed, cylindrical shell that forms'the side wall of a tank that-is designed to be used for storing oil, said tank being provided with a bottom 2 and with a floating deck or top that rests upon and is supported by the body of oil- 3 in the tank. Said floating deck or top comprises a main body portion 4 of less diameter than the diameter of the side wall of the tank. and a variable peripheral portion for closing the annular space between the main body portion 4 of the deck and the side wall of the tank. In the form of my invention herein illustrated the body portion 4 of the deck is formed from relatively thin metal plates secured together in such a way as to form a single solid liinber sheet that covers the major portion of the top surface of the body of liquid in the tank 1, and said body portionis provided at its peripheral edge with a rigid rim 5 provided at its lower edge with a horizontally-disposed. flange 6 which is secured to the main body portion 4: of the deck by fastening devices 7, as shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4. The rim 5 forms a rigid circumference for the limber said variable portion is so constructed that the diameter of same will increase and decrease automatically so as to compensate for variations in the diameter of the side wall of the tank, due to expansion and contraction of the metal from which said side wall is formed or for any other reason. In the form of my invention herein illustrated an all-- nularshoe whose lower edge projects downwardly into the body of liquid in the tank so as to trap off any gasor vapor rising .from the surface of the oil lying between the side wall of the tank and the main body portion 4 of the deck, is arranged in sliding engagement with the inner surface of the side wall of the tank, and the variablepe- 'ripheral portion of the deck just referred to is combined with said shoe in such a manner that the shoe virtually forms a part of same.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the body 'por-.

tion 4 of the deck is provided with a pair of horizontally-disposed plates 8 and 9,.0f annular' form in outline, arranged above said I body portion at the periphery of same and spaced apart so as to receive a plurality of horizontally-disposed, segmental plates 16 that slide between said plates 8 and 9 and co-operate with same to form an expansible and contractible closure for the annular space between the side wall of the tank and the central body portion 4 of the floating deck. The plate 8 is rigidly connected to the portion 4 of the deck by means of a depending flange 10 on the outer edge of said plate 8 that is secured to the upwardly-projecting rim 5 on the portion 4 of the deck and braces 11 are provided for securing the inner edge of said plate 8 to the part 4 of the deck. A vertically disposed baffle plate '12 that projects upwardly from the inner edge of the plate 8 serves as a support for the inner edge of the plate 9. said plate 9 being provided with a flange 13 that is secured by suitable fastening devices to the baflie plate 12. The space between the plates 8 and 9 is partially closed at its outer edge by means of annular packing rings or gaskets 14 which are secured to said plates by fastening devices 15, and the segmental plates 16 previously referred to are slidingly mounted between the gaskets 14 and are provided at their inner edges with annular gaskets 17 that bear against the plates 8 and 9, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, salt\ gaskets being secured to said segmental plates 16 by fastening devices 18. The nds of the segmental plates 16 are spaced apart so as to provide for the radial movement of said plates or the inward and outward movement of said plates relatively to the cooperating plates 8 and 9 on the main body portion 4 of the deck, and the joints or spaces between the ends of said segmental plates 16 are covered by pairs of horizontally-disposed plates 19 arranged 'so that they will embrace the end portions ofadjacent plates 16,

eachpair of plates 19 being rigidly con-' shaped sections 21, arranged in the same horizontal plane so as to form a ring that extends around the side wall of the tank and which is disposed in parallel relation to said side wall. Each section 21 of the shoe is rigidly connected to one of the segmental plates 16, as, for example, by means of a flange 22 on the plate to which the section of the shoeis riveted, and said sections 21 are so proportioned that the ends of same are spaced apart, as shown in Figure 9, each of the plates 19 having an upwardly-projecting portion.23 that bridges the gap be? tween two adjacent sections of the shoe.

In. order to insure said shoe bearing snugly against the side wall ofthe tank, said shoe isprovided with a resilient engaging means bear against the inner surface of the side tire circumference. Preferably, a

formed preferably from resilient devices 24 carried by the sections 21 of the shoe and constructed in such a way that they will wall 1 of the tank, said devices 24 being provided at their ends with overlapping portions 26, shown in Figure 9, so as to form a substantially continuous, ringshaped, resilient element'that bears against the's'idewall of the tank throughout its enspring band 27 or some other suitable means is arranged in engagement with the resilient ele- "ments 24 on the'sections 21 of the shoe, so as to holdsaid resilient elements in snug engagement with the side wall of the tank, when the shoe expands and contracts, due to variations in the diameter of the side wall of the tank and when the shoe rises and falls, due to a variation in the level of the liquid in the tank.

In -a"ta"nk that is used for storing oil it is: essential-that the-deck or, top of the tank be constructed in such a manner as to proplate 16, as shown,

vide for the escape of relatively small amounts of gases and vapors which may collect on the underside of the deck, with out, however, exposing the Oil in the tank to the direct action of suiiicient air to cause sential that means he provided for preventing water from collecting on the top sideof the deck, as an accumulation of water on same might capsize the deck. Accordingly,

great evaporation of the oil. It is also esmunicates with an upwardly-projecting vent pipe 29 and the drain openings 30 communicate with downwardly-projecting pipes 31. The pipes 31 are, in turn, connected to inclined pipes 32 arranged on the underside of the deck and joined to a manifold pipe 33 arranged vertically-inside of the tank, preferably at the center of same, and'connected by means of a jointed pipe to an outlet pipe 34 that extends to the exterior of the tank, as shown in Figure 8,the purpose of using a jointed pipe between the manifold 33 and the outlet pipe 34 being to provide for the rise and fall of thefioating deck. While I have stated that a jointed pipe is used for connecting the manifold 33 to the outlet pipe 34, I wish it to be understood that it is immaterial, so far as my invention is concerned, what means is employed for carrying away the water that en-. ters the inclined pipes 32 which communicate with the drain openings 30 in the deck of the tank. The inclined pipes 32 are joined to the manifold 33 at a point far enough below the deck to insure water flowing through said pipes 32, even if the deck is tilted out of a horizontal position. In Figure 2 of the drawings I have shown one form of jointed pipe that may be used between the manifold 33 and the outlet pipe 34, composed of a short section'of pipe 35 connected to the lower end of the manifold 33 by couplings 36 and 37 that-are free to turn or oscillate with respect to each other,

a second section of pipe 38 connected by means of couplings 39 and 40 with the pipe 35 and couplings 41 and 42 for connecting the pipe 38 with the outlet pipe 34, said pipe sections and couplings co-operating with eachother to form a jointed discharge pipe that will extend and contract automatically as the deck of the tank rises and falls. due

to variations in the level of the liquid in member at the points where the drain openings 30 are formed therein. The vent openings 28 are so arranged with relation to the drain openings 30 that said vent openings will be located at points intermediate the deflected portions of the deck from which the drain openings lead. Consequently, the deck of the tank may be said to comprise a flexible provided at numerous points throughout its area with deflected portions from which drain pipes lead and provided deck, due to the fact that vents or gas out-' lets are located at the highest point of the deck of the tank. In addition to carrying off the water that collects on the top side of the deck, the drain pipes 31 and 32 and the manifold 33 and the jointed pipe connected to same act collectively to form a balancing means, suspended from the underside of the deck, which exerts a sufficient downward thrust on the central portion of the main body of the deck to counteract a load on the top side of the deck near the periphery of same that tends to tilt the deck. The pipes 31 and 32 also co-operate with each other to form a truss for the limber portion f the deck.

In the form of my invention herein illustrated the means that is used for temporarily supporting the deck during the operation of erecting the tank and when the tank is empty consist-s of a number of tubular supports 43 carried by the portion 4 of the deck and adapted to be moved downwardly into engagement with the bottom of the tank and then secured. to the portion 4 of the deck so as to sustain the weight of same. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the portion 4 of the deck is provided with openings in which tubular posts 43 are slidingly mounted, each of said posts being provided at its lower end with a base 44 secured to the post by screw threads 45 and having its upper end projecting through a sleeve 46 provided with a flange 48 that is secured to the port-ion 4 of the deck by means of fastening devices 47. The sleeve 46 surrounds a tubular packing member 49 through which the post 43 slides, packing members 50 being used so as to form tight joints at the points where the supports 43 project through the top of the tank, and thus tending to prevent the evaporation of the oil in the tank. Each of the supports 43 is provided with a plurality of transverselydisposed holes 51 arranged at different levels shown in Figure 8.

for receiving pins 52 that are ,arranged transversely in holes in the tubular member 49, as shown in Figure 6. If it is desired to support the floating deck of the tank by means of the supports 43, said supports are moved downwardly into en agement with the bottom of the tank, as s own in Figure 6, and the pins 52 are arranged transversely in the tubular members 49 on the portion 4 of the deck and in the upper end portions of the su ports 43,- so as to transfer the weight or load of the deck onto the supports 43. After the tank has been filled with oil the supports 43 are disconnected from the elements 49 on the top side of the deck and are moved upwardly into an inoperative position, as shown in broken lines in Figure 6, each of the supports 43 being provided with a cap 53 for closing the upper'end of same and with plugs 54 that are adapted to be arranged in the holes 51 in the supports so as to prevent the contents of the tank from evaporating through said supports.

When the tank is filled with oil the deck or top of the tank floats upon said oil, as

The variable peripheral portion of the deck closes the annular space between the side wall of the tank and the main body portion 4 ofthe deck,

and thus eflectively protects the contents of the tank from fire and from evaporation, said peripheral portion being of such construction that the diameter of same can in crease or decrease automatically and thus compensate for relative movement between the side wall of the tank and the body portion 4 of the deck, due to expansion and contraction of the metal from which said parts are formed. The rim 5 notonly imparts rigidity to the circumferential portion of the body part 4 of the deck, butit also prevents the oil at the edge of said'part 4 from flowing onto the top surface of same. The shoe that bears against the inner surface of the side wall of the deck is prefer ably so proportioned that it projects down wardly below the surface of the oil in the tank, and as said shoe is effectively supported and held in horizontal alignment with the main body portion 4 of the deck by the co-operating is impossible for sai shoe to assume such (plates-8, 9 and 16, it 4 a position that it binds upon the side wall I of the tank. Any rain water that collects on the surface of the deck is conducted off of same by the drain pipes that co-operate with the drain openings in the deck, and notwithstanding the fact that the main body portion of the deck is limber, it will be maintained in a substantially horizontal position, even when it is subjected to an uneven load, by the downwardly inclined drain pipes on the underside of the deck that act as a truss to carry a load arranged at the edge of the deck and also as a pendulum to cbunteract any strains or pressures main body portion and the side wall of the tank.

I 2. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a vmain body vportion adapted to normally float upon the liquid I ,in the tank,v and a variable peripheral porrelatively movable members combined with the main body tion comprising a shoearranged in sliding engagement with the side wall of the tank and a plurality of horizontally-disposed,

said .shoe and main body portion in such a way asto form a tight closure for the space between the side wall of the tank and ortion of said deck.

3. Afioating eck for liquid storage tanks,

5 comprising a main body portion vadapted to normally float on 'the liquid in the tank, a shoe disposed oppositely to the side wall of the tank and arranged with its lower edge submerged in the liquid in the tank, and a closure for the space between said main body portion and shoe constructed in such a manher that the shoe can move horizontally relatively to said main body portion.-

' 4. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a main body portion adapted to normally float on theliquid inthe tank, a shoe disposed oppositely to the side wall of the tank and arranged in sliding engagement with said wall with its lower edge submerged in the liquid inthe tank, and a clo sure forthe space between-said shoe-and the main body' ortion of'the deck' which supports said s oe in such a way that said shoe can move relatively to said main body portion sufficiently to compensate for expansion and-contraction of theside wall of the tank, 1 a l 5. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a main body portion adapted to normally float on the liquid in the tank, a "shoe disposed oppositely. to the side wall of the tank and arranged with its lower edge submerged in the liquid in the tank, and co operating, horizontally-disposed, overlapping elements carried by said shoe and the main body ortion of the deck to form a variable perip eral portion for the deck.

' v 6. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks,

; comprisin a main body portion adapted to normally oat upon the liquid in the tank, a shoe surrounding said body portion and disposed-oppositely to the side wall of the tank,

.pansible and contractible means arranged at co-operating, horizontally-disposed members connected to said shoe and main body portion and arranged in sliding engagement with each other, and means for holding said shoe in slidin engagementwith the ,side

, wall of the ta 7. Afioating deck for liquidstorage tanks, comprising a main body portion adapted to normally float upon the liquid in the tank, an annular shoe surrounding said portion and composed of a numberiof sections that a are adapted to bear against the inner-surand provided adjacent its periphery with an upwardly-projecting rim, an annular shoe surrounding said rim and'disposed oppositely to the side wallof the tank, and" means for closin the annular space between said rim and ,s cc and for supporting said shoe in such a way that the shoe can move relatively to the main body portion of the deck so asto compensate foryariations in the diameter of the side wall of the tank.

:9. A floating deck vfor liquid storage tanks provided with amain body portion adapted to normally float upon the liquid in the tank, a shoe disposed oppositely to :the side wall of the tank and composed of a number of arc-shaped sections, and radially movable plates arranged at the cperiphery of the main body portion of the eck for carrying the seQtions of said shoe; Y 10. A floating -,deck .for' liquid vstorage tanks'provided with a main body portion adapted'to normally float upon the liquid in the tank, a shoe disposed oppositely to the sidewall-of the tank and composed of a number of arc-shaped sections, radially movable platesarrang'ed at the periphery of the main body portionof the .deck for carrying .the sections of said shoe,- and means for closing the joints between said radially mov- ,ber. of sectionslwhose lower edges are .sub-

merged in the liquid in the tank, a horizontally reciprocating means on'the main body portion of the .deck for supporting said shoe sections in such away that the shoe can ex- "pand and contract as the diameter of the side wall of the tank varies, and a resilient means combined with said shoe sections in such a waylas to .hold them in' engagement with the side wall of the tank. 4

12. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a main body portion that is. adapted to float on the liquid in the tank, an annular shoe surrounding saidportion and disposed oppositely to the side wall of the tank, a resilient means on said shoe that bears against the inner surface of the side wall of the tank, and co-operating, horizontally-disposed elements on said main body portion and shoe arranged in sliding en gagement with each other for sustaining said shoe.

13. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a main body portion composed of a plurality of relatively thin metal plates connected together in such a manner as to and covers. the major portion of the liquid in the tank, and means for closing thespace between the peripheral edge of said limber sheet and the side wall ofthe tank.

14. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a main body portion composed of a plurality of relatively thin metal plates connected together in such a manner as to form a limber sheet that floats upon and covers the major portion of the sur ace of the liquid in the tank, and means that forms a rigid rim for the circumferential portion of said limber sheet. 7

15. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a limber body portion adapted to normally float u on the liquid in the tank and provided wit a rigid or stiff circumferential portion, and a truss sus- .pended from the underside of said body I portion that exerts a suflicient downward thrust on the central part'of same to counter- I i v act unequal loads and strains on the peripheral part of said body portion that tend to tilt same.

16. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a limber sheet adapted to float upon the liquid in the tank and provided with a substantiall rigid or still circumferential portion, an means depending from the underside of said sheet that exerts a downward thrust on the central portion of same, and thus tends to balance same and hold it in a horizontal position.

17. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a limber sheet adapted to float upon the body of liquid in the tank and provided at numerous points throughout its area with drain holes, drain pipes co-operating with said'holes and connected to said sheet in'such a manner that they tend to deflect the sheet downwardly at points in proximity to said drain holes, and vent openings in said sheet arranged intermediate said drain holes.

' 18. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a flexible sheet adaptedto float upon the liquid in the tank and form a limber sheet that floats upontions and upwardly deflected portions, a drainage means communicating with drain openings inthe downwardly deflected porprovided with downwardly deflected por- A tions of said sheet, and vent openings in the upwardly deflected portions of said sheet. 19. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a limber body portion.

20. A floating deck for liquid storage portion of smaller.

tanks, comprising a body diameter than the side wal of the tank composed of a pluralit of relatively thin metal plates connected together in such a manner as to form a limber sheet, means for imparting rigidity to the circumferential portion of said limber sheet, and means for closing the annular space between the periphery of saidI body portion" and the side wall of the tan r I 21. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks, comprising a body portion of smaller diameter than the side wall of the tank provided with drain openin and composed of a plurality of relatively Si ht metal plates connected together in such a manner as to stitutes said body portion to deflect down-' wardly adjacent said drain openings, and a variable closure for bridging the space be- I tween the side wall of the tank and said limberbody portion.

22. A floating deck for liquid storage tanks provided with drain openings arranged at numerous points throughout its area. inclined drain pipes arranged on the underside of said deck and lead-' ing from said openings, and a manifold to which said pipes are connected at a point far enough below said deck to insure water flowing through said drain pipes when the deck is'tilted.

23. A liquid storage tank, comprising a side wall, a floating deck adapted to normally rest upon the liquid in the tank, and

a supporting structure for temporarily sustaining the deck during the operation of erecting the tank or when the tank is empty, constructed in such a manner that it can be removed from the tank when the deck is floatingupon the liquid in the tank.

24. A liquid storage tank provided with a floating. deck that is adapted to normally float upon the liquid in the tank, and a temporar sustaining means for said deck comprising elements adapted to be arranged in engagement with the bottom of the tank and connected to said deck to carry the load of the deck.

25. A liquid storage tank provided with a deck that normally floats upon the liquid in the tank, and a supporting means carried by said deck and adapted to be moved downporary sustaining members slidingly mounted in holes in said deck, tubular members on the deck through which said sustaining members pass, and means for detachably connecting said sustaining members to said tubular members.

28'. A floating deck for oil tanks, comprising a body portion of smaller diameter than the diameter of the tank, a plurality of horizontal plates slidably connected there-' to. and vertical shoe members carried by said plates and adapted to engage the wall of the tank.

29. A floating deck for oil tanks, compris ing a body portion of smaller diameter than the diameter of the tank, apair of spaced horizontal guide plates arranged adjacent the edge of the body portion, a plurality of slidable, horizontally disposed plates mounted between said guide plates and extending outwardly, and substantially vertical shoe members carried by said slidable plates and adapted to engage the wall of the tank.

30. A floating deck for oil tanks, compris ing a body portion of smaller diameter than the diameter of the tank, a plurality of horizontal plates slidably connected thereto, vertically-disposed shoe members carried by said plates, and means for retaining said shoe members in engagement with the wall of the tank.

31. A floating deck for oil tanks, comprising a body portion of smaller diameter than the diameter of the tank, a plurality of horizontal plates slidably connected thereto, vertically-disposed shoe members carried by said plates, and a spring engaging said shoe members to retain them in engagement with the wall of the tank. 7,

32. A floating deck for oil tanks, comprising a body portion of smaller diameter than the diameter of the tank, a plurality of horizontal plates slidably connected thereto, vertical shoe members carried by said plates, and resilient engaging members car-, ried by said shoe'members and adapted to contact withthe wall of the tank.

33. A floating deck for oil tanks, comprising a body portion of smaller diameterthan the diameter of the tank, a plurality of horizontal plates slidably connected thereto, vertical shoe members carried by said,

plates, resilient engaging members carried by said shoe members and adapted'to con tact with the wall of the tank, and a circumferential spring arranged on the inside of said engaging members to retain them in contact with the wall of the tank.

34. A floating deck for oil tanks, comprising a limber body portion of smaller diameter than the diameter ofthe tank, a substantially rigid rim secured-to the edge of the bod portion, a pair of spaced horizon tal gui e plates carried by said rim, a plurality of slidable, horizontallydisposed plates mounted between said guide plates and extending outwardly, and substantially vertical shoe members'secured to the outer ends of said slidable plates and adapted to engage the wall of the tank.

35. A floating deck for oil tanks, comprising a limber body portion of smaller diameter than the diameter of the tank, a substantially rigid rim secured to the edge ofthe bod portion, a pair of spaced horizontal gui e plates carried by said rim, a plu-- rality of slidable, horizontally-disposed plates mounted between said' guide plates and extending outwardly, substantially vertical shoe members secured to the outerends of said slidable. plates, and resilient engaging members carried by said shoe members and adapted to contactwvith the wall of the.

tank. f

. 36. A floating deck for oil tanks, compris ing a limber body portion of smaller 'diameter than the diameter of the tank, a substantially rigid rim secured tothe edge of the bod portion, a pair of spaced horizontal gui e plates carried bysaid-rim, a plurality of slidable, horizontally-disposed plates mounted between said guide plates and extending outwardly, substantially vertical shoe members secured to the outer ends of said slidable plates,; resilient engaging members carried on saidshoe members, and

a spring arranged on the inside of said en- I gaging members to retain them in contact with the wall of the tank.

37. A floating deck for oil tanks, comprising a body portion of smaller diameter than the diameter of the tank, a plurality of horis zontalplates arranged circumferentially and extending beyond the edge ofsaid body portion, one edge of each of said plates being provided with extensions arranged aboveand below the plane of said plates and overlap the adjacent edge of the next plate, and vertical .shoe members carried by said plates and adapted to engage the walltof the tank. I 38. A floating deck for oil tanks, said deck being provided with a plurality of adapted to .openings, tubular-members secured to said deck adjacent to and surrounding said openings said tubular members being provided with transverse openings, supporting members extending through said deck openings and said tubular members, said supporting members being adapted to rest upon the bottom of the tank and being provided with a plurality of spaced transverse openings, and pins adapted to be received in the transverse opening of eachof the tub ar members and one of the transverse openings of each of the supporting members.

In testimoriy whereof I affix my signature. OHN HENRY -WIG INS. I 

